


Life's No Fun Without A Good Scare

by easilydistractedbyfanfic



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Amusement Park, F/M, Halloween, Haunted House, Princess Mechanic friendship, Roller Coasters, as close to fluff as I get
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-30
Updated: 2019-10-30
Packaged: 2021-01-12 23:50:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21234641
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/easilydistractedbyfanfic/pseuds/easilydistractedbyfanfic
Summary: As long as whatever-his-first-name-was-Murphy liked roller coasters, she could probably put up with the guy for the night. Otherwise Raven was going to ditch him, which is exactly what she told Clarke when she got roped into tagging along with them to the Halloween festivities at their local amusement park.





	Life's No Fun Without A Good Scare

**Author's Note:**

> Happy Halloween my favorite Murven-loving fellow t100 fans! I've been crazy busy getting ready for my annual Halloween party, but I cooked this up in my cauldron for you and I sure hope you enjoy it! A bit of inspiration for this story came from The Nightmare Before Christmas, which my son adores and therefore I have seen approximately 1,837 times. 
> 
> If you don't follow me on tumblr, you may be happy to know that I'm going to participate in NaNoWriMo again this year and hope to finish my summer camp story AND get a huge chunk of 'Only Then You'll See' done as well (god I hope I finish it! I have OTHER IDEAS!).

* * *

[ ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/170152452@N02/48985584692/in/dateposted-public/)

Aren't you scared?

Well, that's just fine

Say it once, say it twice

Take a chance and roll the dice

Ride with the moon in the dead of night

Everybody scream, everybody scream

“You’re going to have fun tonight, Raven, I can feel it!” Clarke jogs backwards through the parking lot, Raven following somewhat grudgingly after her. 

Shaking her head at Clarke’s overly enthusiastic prophecy, Raven rolls her eyes. “You’re only saying that because you’ll feel less guilty if it’s true.”

“Okay, maybe some of it_ is _ wishful thinking on my part, but I really think you’re going to like hanging out with Murphy. I met him a few times before he spent the summer away, and he’s kind of snarky just like you are.”

“All that tells me is that we’ll probably piss each other off,” Raven scoffs, “not that we’ll actually get along.”

“Well either way, I’m betting he’ll go over better than Roan and Wick did,” Clarke giggles. 

It wasn’t that Roan or Wick were necessarily _ bad_, Raven recalls. Just not who she preferred to get stuck with for hours at a time while Clarke was off with Bellamy. Roan had flirted with her incessantly, and Wick had been too flattering, too into her. Maybe it was unfair of her to be so judgmental, but she’d already been a bit resentful at taking time away from her projects to be Clarke’s alibi, and it had grated on her to spend her time with strangers when she could have been making some progress on her studies. 

Still, Clarke is her best friend, and Raven understands that comes with occasional sacrifices. Which also explained how she'd gotten roped into tonight. 

“I did have a good time when we went with Bellamy to that party and I hung out with Jasper, Octavia, Monty and Harper,” Raven acknowledges. 

“They’re great, aren’t they? I’ll find out when they’re getting together again so we can go, too. Bellamy got these tickets last minute, otherwise more of them might’ve been able to join us. Come on, I don’t want to be late!”

Clarke walks faster through the parked cars, eyes scanning the entrance to the amusement park. Bellamy had gotten four tickets to the Halloween Fright Fest the park was throwing, complete with multiple haunted attractions, mazes, and lots of roller coasters, which was what Raven really cared about. 

“Hey, Raven?” Clarke turns towards her, voice more serious than before. “I really do appreciate how much you’ve been covering for me. I know it’s not ideal, but Mom just refuses to see anything good about me spending time with Bellamy, and I know it’s my own fault but there’s no way I can stop seeing him.”

Raven gets it, she does, but Clarke’s way of handling things probably wasn’t the path she’d have taken herself if the situation was reversed. After Clarke’s dad died, she and her mom, Abby, had been at odds over what Abby viewed as Clarke’s lashing out. Clarke had started seeing Bellamy, her college grades started slipping, and she’d gotten kicked out of the dorms when she’d been reported for smoking pot. Clarke came from money, so Abby had been willing to pony up for an on-campus apartment, with a few conditions. One of which was that Raven would be Clarke’s roommate, since Abby had always thought that Raven was a good influence. Sure, Abby was being overprotective and even restrictive lately, but Raven knew it was because Abby cared so much. 

Honestly, Raven had jumped at the chance - whatever the reason for it - knowing that the two-bedroom, two bath apartment was going to be a huge step up from her single dorm with hardly any space to spread out her engineering projects. But it had also meant tagging along on a lot of Clarke’s dates with Bellamy in order to help cover for Clarke when Abby came sniffing around to see if Clarke was following her rules. In order to keep Raven from being a third wheel, they’d typically invited someone else along, which is how she’d gotten stuck with Wick and Roan on other ‘dates’, but Raven should’ve spoken up and just asked for Octavia this time around, who she’d already enjoyed hanging out with at the party she’d mentioned to Clarke. 

_ Too late now_, Raven mentally groans, wondering just what this Murphy will be like. Clarke had said he was Bellamy’s best friend, but she hadn't met him before the semester ended, and then she'd heard something about him travelling over the summer, so this would be the first time she'd see the guy. At least tonight they’d be somewhere entertaining, and as long as whatever-his-first-name-was-Murphy liked roller coasters, that was the only thing Raven cared about. 

“I know, Clarke, and I don’t really mind helping you out even though I complain. Besides, as much as Roan wasn’t _my_ type, I think he and Echo are really hitting it off.” Raven had had a headache after a whole night of Roan’s slick flirting, but after she’d gotten back to the apartment and taken a shower to wash off all the smarm, it had occurred to her that her friend Echo might be just the right kind of girl to put Roan in his place, and she’d made arrangements to hook them up. Tonight they were on their third date, and Raven couldn’t wait to hear about it later. 

“I know if you’d had your way, you’d have been working on that engine spread out all over our dining table tonight, but hey, at least you get to indulge in your coaster obsession, so it won’t be a total loss, right?”

Raven smiles just thinking about it. Yeah, she definitely had a thing for roller coasters. “I know you and loverboy are going to ditch us to do whatever it is that you do, but don’t be surprised if I ditch Bellamy's friend if it turns out he doesn’t want to ride with me.”

“Just as long as you meet us by the entrance at the end of the night, although I hope you won’t strike out on your own. I’d be worried about you if you were alone all night. I know you can look out for yourself, but it’d still be safer if you stuck with Murphy.”

“I hear you, and I’ll try to stick it out unless he’s really awful,” Raven promises, searching inside her red jacket for the hair tie she hopes she left in one of the pockets. It’s the best offer she can give Clarke, not willing to commit to the next six or more hours with a stranger if he turns out to be rotten company or uninterested in her passion for thrill rides. 

“With you, that's the most I can ask for,” Clarke laughs, and it turns into a happy little shriek when she spots Bellamy standing on the sidewalk under a cluster of trees bursting with orange leaves, hurrying even faster to run into his arms. 

Raven approaches much more sedately, slipping the elusive hair tie onto her wrist, and not just because she has a tough time running with the brace on her leg. She wants to discreetly evaluate the guy next to Bellamy while she has the chance. They’re both about the same height, though Murphy’s hair is a lighter brown and shorter than Bellamy’s and he’s much paler. He’s wearing dark jeans, some kind of band shirt and his hands are stuffed inside the pockets of his unzipped dark green hoodie. Raven’s not surprised that he’s good looking - so far Bellamy and Octavia seem to have rather attractive friends - and as she gets closer, she can feel his eyes assessing her too. 

Clarke and Bellamy are caught up, kissing like they haven’t seen the other in weeks, so Raven ignores them and holds her hand out to Murphy. 

“I’m Raven Reyes. We’re stuck with each other for the next however many hours, so I hope you don’t suck.”

Murphy shakes her hand, his clear blue eyes sparkling with laughter at her outspoken introduction. “John Murphy, though my friends call me by my last name, and I’ve already been warned to be on my best behavior but I’ll let you be the judge of that.”

Her hand tingles against his, and she fights the urge to wipe her palm on her jeans when she yanks it out of his grasp and jerks her head towards the entwined couple next to her. “If experience is anything to go by, they’re gonna take off on their own in a few minutes, so if you have anything you need to arrange with Bellamy, you better do it fast.”

“Nah, we know we’re meeting here at the end of the night, and I’ve got your ticket and mine already. I’ve had a few chances to be in their company myself, so what do you say we take off and leave _ them _ behind for a change?”

His question has a note of challenge in it, prompting Raven to look over at Clarke quickly before she answers. Seeing no sign that the two are close to breaking it off any time soon, she shrugs her shoulders. _ Might as well_, she figures. 

“Have fun, Clarke.” Raven doesn’t expect an answer, but Clarke wiggles a few fingers weakly in response. 

Murphy gestures to the closest ticket booth, and they each get a neon green bracelet indicating they can go through any of the rides or haunted attractions they want before they head through security. The turnstiles are busy, and Raven grabs a map as soon as she can. She’s been here plenty of times, but she doesn’t know the layout of the temporary Halloween offerings and wants to familiarize herself before it gets dark. 

“Do you like rides?” she asks as Murphy falls into step beside her. 

“Most of ‘em,” he concedes, “though I haven’t been to this park before, and I don’t know what they’ve got.”

Raven smiles enthusiastically. “Oh, there’s some good ones here! I’ve been on them all but my favorite is the one we should do first, while we can still see some of the view before it gets dark.” She turns and points off in the distance at the huge structure. “That’s it over there. It’s the tallest in the world, and it goes from zero to 128 miles per hour in like four seconds. It’s awesome!”

She’s watching carefully to see his reaction, and it’s subtle but there’s just the slightest creasing of his eyebrows, though he doesn’t say anything other than ‘okay’ when they head off in that direction. 

_ Make or break time when it comes to John Murphy_, Raven thinks, and she’s placing even odds on whether he’ll chicken out or end up riding with her. 

* * *

He manages to make it through the line all the way to the platform, but when she insists they choose the path for the front seat, there’s no hiding the obvious hesitation on his face. 

“Is that really necessary?” Murphy questions, making her laugh that he’s finally cracking. 

“It’s the best seat on the whole ride! Seriously, you’ve gotta experience the front seat. I’ve been on it plenty of times and it hasn’t killed me.” Alright, maybe that’s taking the teasing a bit far, but she can’t help it - he’s cute when he’s worried. 

Taking pity on him, and appreciating that he was actually a pretty good conversationalist while they waited in line, Raven softens a little. 

“Okay, yes, I know it looks scary, but it’s really safe. I told you I’m majoring in Engineering, but I didn’t say why. My Mom wasn’t the greatest and I was alone a lot. She’d get me out of her hair by buying me a season pass here since we lived close, and I’d come in by myself and just ride coasters all day. Eventually even that got a little boring and I found my way into the maintenance shop when I wasn’t supposed to be there, but the guy who found me sneaking around realized I wasn’t there to make trouble, I was just curious. Turns out Sinclair ran that shift and he used to let me hang out and follow him around sometimes. It’s because of him and rides like this one that I figured out what I wanted to do with my life. I watched this coaster get built and I trust it. Besides, I know for a fact that Bellamy hasn’t ever gotten up the nerve to ride this one, let alone in the front seat. So if _ you _ do, you can always rub it in.”

She’s not sure what part convinces him, but she can tell by the way he sighs slightly that he’s giving in. 

“Fine. But if I fall out, it’s your fault and I’m going to come back as a ghost and haunt you.”

“Deal,” Raven laughs, “but that wouldn’t be very enjoyable for you, since I’m a pretty boring person.”

“I don’t see how that can be true, Raven, especially considering what you’ve just talked me into doing.”

It’s the first time he’s said her name, and an unexpected thrum of pleasure goes through her at the sound of it. She’s wondering what to say, concerned there might be a flush on her cheeks, but then the people in front of them load into the ride and it’s almost their turn. This close to the tracks, they’ll have a great view of the next launch, and she hopes it doesn’t change Murphy’s mind when he sees just how fast it goes. 

The operator voice over the loudspeaker is telling everyone to take off any jewelry, glasses or hair accessories, and then the cars start gliding smoothly to the launch point. There’s a pause for a few moments and then the coaster is just a blur, going from a standstill to shooting off towards the huge tower. 

Watching, Raven grins as the train starts to crest the top of the immense hill. It eventually gets over, spiralling downward on the other side of the tower with a twist, then racing over the bunny hill before it slows down to come back into the station. 

“You still with me?” She turns to Murphy, and his fingers are tight on the railing next to him. 

“I’ve come this far,” Murphy says grimly, his jaw a little clenched. “Might as well finish the torture.”

“You said you liked most rides!” Raven accuses. 

“And I do. But this isn’t a ride - this is more like a death trap. Anybody with half an instinct for survival would question their sanity for considering riding this!”

The gate opens in front of her and the loudspeaker voice instructs them all to load. Raven goes in first, Murphy following close behind her, and she gets a last glimpse of his anxious face before they pull down the shoulder restraints and their legs meet from thigh to calf. 

“If you don’t like it, I won’t make you ride anything else,” Raven blurts out, thinking maybe she’s been too pushy, and feeling badly enough about it that even if he _ does _ hate it, she won’t ditch him even if it means she doesn’t get to ride the good stuff for the rest of the night.

“After this, everything else will be easy.”

The way the lap bar fits, Raven can’t reach too far with her hand, but as the train slides slowly and smoothly towards the launch section, she stretches out and pats Murphy’s knee reassuringly. She’s surprised but gratified when he lets go of his hand grip to cover her fingers briefly with a quick squeeze before returning to hold on. Raven takes her hand away just before the coaster is launched, and it’s so exhilaratingly fast there’s not even time to scream. 

They go up up up up, impossibly higher until they start to crest the hump, and then her favorite part comes - they have to wait for the momentum of the back of the train to push them fully over, so the first car hangs at the edge of the drop for just a moment as her stomach somersaults and it’s like she can see forever, the whole world spread out below her. The air is colder up here, and oh, so quiet. And then they’re off again, this time hurtling down the track and through the twist, and the rest of the ride feels like it’s over in a blink. 

When the train starts to slow down, Raven tries to crane her neck to look at Murphy, but it’s no use with the shoulder harness blocking her view. It’s too loud to try talking, the sound of the machinery would drown her out, so she settles for another quick pat on his knee to check in, but before she can pull away, Murphy flips her hand over so they’re palm to palm, the back of her hand resting on his thigh, and he doesn’t let go until they have to push open the restraints. She tries to turn around to see if Murphy’s okay from the ride, but there’s a swarm of people all jumping out of the coaster cars, and she gets swept ahead of him. Her skin itches where it was pressed against his, and in the chaos of everyone unloading from the station and walking down the ramp, Raven rubs her palm on her leg a few times to relieve it. 

She waits at the ride exit, just off to the side, and it’s only a few moments before Murphy appears in her sights, a smug grin on his face. 

“Well, well, well. What do we have here? Someone who actually enjoyed themselves after all?” Raven smiles up at him as he comes through the turnstile and his grin turns sheepish. 

“Okay, you got me. That was a helluva rush! It was definitely more fun in practice than it was in theory. I can totally see why you like it. But you can’t blame me for being nervous - _ look _at that thing!”

“So what you’re saying is, ‘wow, Raven, that was so great! I’m so glad you convinced me to ride it, and even though we don’t know each other very well, I should never have doubted you’, right?”

Murphy laughs, and the rich sound of it delights something deep within her. Raven pushes it down, alarmed at the unfamiliar feeling. 

“What part did you like best?” It’ll go away if she keeps talking, she’s certain. 

“Probably how we went from sitting still to feeling like we were flying down the track,” Murphy explains, “I liked the forces pushing me back into my seat. Although that part where we sort of paused just before we dove down the hill was wild too.”

“That’s _ my _ favorite part,” Raven admits, “and you don’t really get to feel that anywhere but in the front row. I told you it was worth it.”

“That you did. So I guess that means you should pick what we do next since you’re smart as well as beautiful.” 

_ Is he flirting with her? _ Raven asks herself. The way Roan went about it was insanely obvious, pouring on the charm and innuendo. And Wick wasn’t much better, practically tripping over himself to compliment her and do whatever she liked. But Murphy’s different, and she isn’t sure about his motivations. In fact, she feels a little off balance in his presence, her own desires murkier than usual. She glances over at him as they walk side by side, wishing she knew what he was thinking. 

“Do you mind if we get something to eat now? I’m definitely getting hungry.”

“Fine by me, I’m up for whatever looks good.”

They end up getting pizza and fries, and Murphy pays for it, telling her that she can buy them ice cream later before she can protest. Ice cream is a personal weakness of hers, and once he mentions it she starts looking forward to having some, so she guesses there’s no point in arguing with him. It gets darker as they eat, and the air is filled with the sounds of shrieks and screams from the various rides and spooky spots the park set up. 

“Alright, what’s next,” he asks her as they get up from the table. 

She recommends a few rides that are nearby and they spend the next hour talking and laughing with each other. Clarke was right, about two things, actually - Murphy _ is _ full of sarcasm, but she can tell by the way he tells stories how much he cares about his friends. And also, Raven’s having much more fun with Murphy than she’s had on her previous ‘dates’ with Bellamy’s friends, and it isn’t just because she’s at an amusement park either. No, it’s definitely the company. And it hasn’t hurt that they’ve been in close quarters with just about every ride pressing them close together in some way. It’s been impossible to ignore how proximity to Murphy seems to put her on edge, and there's no point in denying she’s attracted to him. If she wasn’t having such a good time, she’d probably be dissecting every little touch they exchanged, trying to figure out just what it meant. 

They get off a flying coaster with an amazing pretzel loop that Raven adores, and Murphy snatches the folded map out of the back pocket of her jeans before she knows what he’s up to. 

“Okay, that was another incredible ride, but I’m so ready for some scares. Which of these do you want? They’ve got a mirror labyrinth, a prison break thing, some kind of demented circus, a sort of outbreak medical disease area, creepy woods, a haunted manor… Plenty of stuff to choose from, so what’s your poison?”

Raven hesitates for only a moment, but he picks up on it, reading her easily. 

“Hold on, is that _ reluctance _ I’m seeing? Are you going to tell me that _ Raven Reyes _ feels more comfortable facing actual _ death _ on a record-holding, terrifying roller coaster than she does in a pretend scary environment where everyone knows the actors are wearing masks or makeup and can’t even touch you?” Murphy sounds incredulous, and she supposes he has a point. 

“Fine. Make all the fun you want,” Raven mutters. “So I might be a little jumpy when it comes to Halloween stuff.”

“Oh, man. This is gonna be _ great_,” Murphy smirks. 

“Hey! If you even _ think _ of scaring me, I’m going to punch you!”

He points to a spot on the map. “The Manor one is closest. I’m pretty sure I won’t have to do a thing to scare you - I just have to sit back and watch.”

Raven folds her arms over her chest, annoyed. “What makes you so sure I’m even going to go in there?”

Murphy steps closer, invading her personal space until she can feel the heat of his body radiating through her, his chest grazing her arms. “Because you aren’t going to back down from a _ dare_, are you Raven?”

Her heartbeat picks up, hammering in her ears, and her eyes widen at Murphy’s taunt. It’s not like she didn’t know they were coming to an event designed to terrify people, it’s just that she was hoping to find a way out of it like she always did, and she figured the rides would be the perfect distraction. If she thought about it, it wasn’t a tough connection to make - she'd been alone a lot as a kid, sleeping in a tiny house by herself while her mother was god knows where. Her imagination had always been big, tending to run away with thoughts of what could happen to her without anyone to keep her safe. It didn’t take a genius to understand why she’d never liked haunted houses. But he was right, she was never one to turn down a dare, and she knew that if she backed out of the The Manor after he’d ridden the first coaster, it would be the kind of story she’d never live down. 

Lifting her chin, Raven meets Murphy’s eyes defiantly. “What are we waiting for? Let’s go.”

She can feel the rush of air from his knowing laughter on the back of her neck as she starts to stalk towards the spot on the map, and he hurries to catch up to her once he reins in his amusement. 

Twenty minutes later, they’re approaching the front of the line and Raven’s regretting her ridiculous inability to admit defeat. She’s already been cringing from the noises she’s been hearing from inside the building facade, and her pulse is throbbing with nerves. Murphy’s probably noticed she hasn’t been talking much while they’ve been waiting, and she’s felt his gaze land on her multiple times, each time with growing concern. 

“You know what they say - life’s no fun without a good scare.” 

Raven swivels her head to glare at him. “Are you seriously quoting the song from ‘The Nightmare Before Christmas’ to me right now?”

“Hey, that song is awesome,” Murphy shrugs carelessly, “and it makes a good point. There’s something to be said for adrenaline, and you’re clearly addicted to it after all those thrill rides you took me on.”

“That’s a completely different kind of rush,” Raven argues. 

“Is it?” Murphy’s voice is low, keeping their conversation private from those around them, but there’s something else there, something suggestive that makes her shiver. He reaches out and takes her hand, his long fingers wrapping around hers. She looks up at him, surprised. 

“I’m just returning the favor.” His eyes are twinkling at her again, and he tugs her closer with the grip he has on her. “I won’t be mad if you don’t want to go in,” he offers, “and I won’t say anything about it if we just skip the scary stuff.”

A flipping sensation swirls in her stomach - not unlike that from her beloved roller coasters - with his thoughtful promise. It makes her feel brave, and she rallies a small smile as she repeats his own words back to him. “I’ve come this far. Might as well finish the torture.”

His laughter is loud as he looks at her admiringly, and Raven thinks maybe this stupid haunted house might be worth all the trouble. She takes a deep breath to help calm her nerves, but when he starts rubbing a repeating curve along the bottom of her palm with his thumb, there’s no way she can settle down with the sparks he’s igniting beneath the sensitive skin. Raven wants to focus on the intoxication of it, pick it apart and analyze the feeling until she knows exactly what to do about it, but the employee at the turnstile is indicating they should go in, and the thumping of her heart under her ribs takes precedence as they step into the gloomy darkness of The Manor. 

Murphy had read the signs to her as they walked through the meandering line - the backstory described it as a dilapidated house that had finally been under renovation when the new owner had suffered a horrible construction accident. Everyone who went into The Manor afterward to solve the mystery supposedly never left. Raven was pretty sure she should expect people to jump out at her from all over, so her eyes dart back and forth as soon as the grand doors shut with a thud behind them. They’re in a foyer, a hallway jutting off to the right, and it’s full of shadows and cobwebs, an ominous, crackly music box tinkling in the background as a bunch of candles flicker and sputter in the cool air that somehow reeks of mold and disuse. 

“Oh, this is fine,” Raven mumbles under her breath, but the words are sharper than she expects in the quiet, and Murphy squeezes her hand once more, an unrepentant smirk on his face as he takes in her discomfort. Much to her annoyance, she finds the look appealing. 

“Do you want me to apologize right now for how much I’m going to enjoy your reactions to this, or should I wait until the end so you can catch your breath and properly chastise me?”

“You think you’re so funny, but when I die from unmitigated terror, you’re gonna be the one who has to carry me out of here and explain to Clarke how it’s your fault her best friend is gone. She’s meaner than she looks.” Raven scoots closer to Murphy’s side as he starts down the hallway, wanting to avoid the suspicious-looking walls as much as she can. 

There’s darkened windows to one side, and a slight breeze sets the dusty curtains aflutter. The floor under them is actually creaking, although Raven’s heartbeat drums in her ears so loudly it’s practically drowning out everything else. She’s holding on to Murphy’s hand like a lifeline, gripping his fingers tight enough to cut off her circulation, and her shoulder nudges his arm with every step they take further into the dreary space. Nothing has even happened yet but she’s so tense she feels like she could snap. 

She’s on high alert for it, but it still causes absolute panic within her when a portrait hanging right in front of them drops down to reveal a dirty and decomposing woman who looks like she’s been dead for years. 

“Get out!” She screams, and Raven jumps so violently in response that her body lurches into Murphy’s, her head knocking hard into his jaw and making him wince. 

“Damn, you _ are _ gonna get your revenge on me for harassing you to come in here, aren’t you?” His tone is playful, almost fond as he rubs his chin, but she’s embarrassed at her dramatic reaction even though there’s no way she can control it. 

“Shut up,” Raven mutters, eyes shut as she places her tremulous hand over her heart to try and force the frenetic beat to calm down through utter willpower. 

“How about we prevent any chances of me getting a concussion tonight,” Murphy suggests, and before Raven knows what he’s talking about, he lets go of her hand and lifts his arm around her, pulling her in so she’s tucked against his side, his fingers curling protectively around her shoulder. 

It’s an unexpected move, but Raven barely has a second to adjust to it because a door slams off to their left and is followed by a horrified shriek, startling her anew, and there’s no thought involved as she instinctively circles an arm around Murphy’s lower back underneath his hoodie, angling her body towards his to make herself a smaller target. 

She hears his soft chuckle as he steers her down the musty corridor, but he’s warm and solid and smells much better than the decaying stench in the air, so she tightens the hold she has on his waist and gives up trying to pretend she’s anything other than petrified. 

Time feels like it drags in The Manor, and even though Raven spends a lot of it with her face buried in the curve of Murphy’s neck, there’s still plenty to startle her and cause her to stumble. Murphy maintains a running commentary of what he’s seeing, and the soft rumble of his voice in her ear provides more comfort than she might admit. Even so, by the time he delivers them both safely through the exit, she’s a stressed-out mess with both arms around his torso and a death grip on his t-shirt. 

“Congratulations, Raven. You survived the very scary haunted house.”

It takes her a moment to comprehend that he’s not still narrating their progress and is instead cheekily announcing they’re finished. She blinks her eyes open slowly but it’s almost as dark as inside the building. The air is fresh and smells like cotton candy though, and the tree canopy above them is a pretty good indication he’s not joking. 

Raven takes a deep, shuddering breath before groaning emphatically. “Ugh, that _ sucked_.”

“I don’t know, I think it had a few perks.” 

She lifts her head from his shoulder, abruptly realizing she’s still wrapped around him. He’s got to be _ definitely _ flirting with her this time, unless maybe he meant that he enjoyed how jumpy and easily scared she was. Uncertain, she awkwardly drops her arms and tries to put some space between their bodies. To her regret, he raises his arm up and off her shoulder to let her go, making her miss his warmth immediately. Her heart is starting to slow down from the residual fear pouring through her system, but before she can get too far away he captures her hand again and her pulse skips back up as he looks her straight in the eye with a bold and unapologetic grin. 

“Thanks for going in with me even though you really didn’t want to. I know _ you _ didn’t like it, but I had fun. Now you pick something that will make you feel better.”

The intensity of his eyes staring into hers sends a surge of heat through her in spite of the chilly air, and she flashes him a suggestive smile. “I know something that will make me feel better.”

Murphy swallows and his gaze flicks down for a brief second to her mouth and she almost lets out a yelp of relieved satisfaction when she spots the movement. Finally it’s an obvious clue, and now she knows what he’s thinking, thrilled that he’s absolutely in sync with her own thoughts. 

“Come on,” she pulls on his hand happily, “what I want is this way.”

* * *

“You know, I was kind of hoping you _ weren’t _ thinking about a roller coaster when I said you should pick something to make you feel better.”

They’re in the backseat of one of the best wooden coasters she’s ever been on, and Murphy’s watching intently as she hurriedly gathers her hair into a ponytail before the train starts moving. The sky is black and scarcely illuminated with stars now, and the wind has picked up, and she’s going to have a tangled mess on her hands after this ride if she doesn’t take precautions. 

“Maybe I was,” Raven sasses, subtly shifting in the seat so she can push her thigh more firmly against him as the coaster starts to climb the lift hill. “But this ride is just about the most fun you can have with your clothes on, so I’m betting you’ll like it too.”

His eyebrow lifts a little, but if he can insinuate something sexual than so can she, and anyway, she wants him to understand they’re fully on the same page. He’s quick to comprehend, like she knew he would be, and they’re so close that she can see his blue eyes darken with want. Raven almost leans in right then, but momentum tugs them forward as they crest the top of the hill and she throws her hands up and laughs joyfully as they soar up and over the numerous hills, her body colliding with Murphy’s at every turn and twist. When it’s over they’re both breathless and giddy, unsteady on their feet as they grab onto each other and follow the crowd to the exit. 

There’s a closed souvenir booth along the path they’re walking, full of shadows and offering a hint of privacy, so Murphy takes advantage, guiding them towards the rear of it and partially out of sight. He leans in, caging her between his body and the wall behind her. She tilts her chin up in anticipation, her fingers gripping the sides of his open hoodie as Murphy curls his hands around her hips and somehow gets them closer, the sound of his voice whispering across her cheek. 

“Can I kiss you now?”

Raven’s eyes flutter shut briefly, fervently hoping this kiss is going to be as good as she expects it to be. When she opens her lashes, she lets her eyes linger on his until she answers. 

“You better.”

The corners of his mouth curve up just before his lips claim hers, and it’s only soft and tentative for the space of a few heartbeats because they’re both impatient and greedy. One of his hands goes to the back of her head, gently loosening her ponytail until he can tangle his fingers in her hair, his other hand skimming along her jaw as she opens her mouth to him and winds her arms around his neck with a ragged moan. She’s impressed with his dexterity when he gets the hair tie out, sliding her tongue over his, and any worry that this kiss wouldn’t live up to expectations flies out of her head since she’s sure she’s never in her life been this weak-kneed from a kiss before. It heats up fast, and the realization that she doesn’t want it to stop at all is what finally makes her pull away, out of breath and overwhelmed. 

Murphy rests his forehead against her temple, keeping her held close to him. They’re quiet while Murphy’s hands drift down to stroke across her back as her own fingers scratch lightly over the skin on the nape of his neck. For once Raven is content to enjoy the moment without needing to scrutinize things, but eventually Murphy breaks the silence. 

“That was more memorable than the roller coasters.”

Raven laughs softly, delighted. “Funny, I was just thinking the same thing.” She steps back enough to see his face, and she’s almost tempted to kiss him again and forget about getting carried away with the heated look he gives her. 

“Maybe we should go get that ice cream now and cool down,” she regretfully suggests, tucking her hair behind her ear. 

Murphy slips her hair elastic over her wrist, keeping hold of her hand as he directs her away from the building. “I guess one of us should stay responsible so we don’t get kicked out, but I’m not sure ice cream is going to be enough of a distraction for me.”

If he keeps looking at her like that, getting kicked out is going to start sounding like a worthy goal, but admitting that is only going to encourage him, Raven’s sure, and as much as she might like to encourage _ that _into happening again, she doesn’t want their night cut short either. 

“A small distraction is better than nothing,” she nods, trying to convince herself as well as him, and it’s not long before they get caught up picking out ice cream flavors, ultimately deciding to share a decadent sundae that’s far larger than Raven expected when they place it on the counter. 

They’re sitting beside each other at one of the small booths after eating most of the concoction, enjoyably bickering over which one of them deserves the last few pieces of the brownie at the bottom of the dish when another spoon enters the fray and scoops up a large chunk. 

“Hey!” Raven looks up in indignation only to find Bellamy laughing as he leans over their table. 

“You were too busy arguing with Murphy,” he explains, his mouth full. “And that left me an opening.”

Clarke grins as she carries over her own sundae, placing a towering confection down on the table. “Hi, guys! We saw you through the window and decided to come in too. Bell, pull over a couple of those chairs. Don’t kill him, Raven - I know what could happen to someone who gets between you and chocolate, so you can have some of ours if you want.”

The four friends dig in to the treats, talking and laughing about their evening, and Raven notices how Clarke grins over how close she and Murphy are sitting to each other. When they’re almost finished with the last of the ice cream, Murphy furtively winks at her before he starts harassing Bellamy for not yet riding the very same coaster that Murphy himself was initially nervous about, and Raven listens with amusement as Murphy completely erases any reservations he had in order to brag to Bellamy that he rode in the front seat. She tells herself she won’t call him out on his story since it’s making Bellamy squirm, but she knows there’s more to it than that. Murphy has been an unexpected bonus tonight, and while initially she’d fretted that the hours she’d be stuck with a stranger would crawl by, now it feels like it’s going too fast. 

“Raven? Come to the ladies room with me.” 

Clarke’s request snaps her out of her daze and Raven follows, entirely aware that Clarke plans to interrogate her as soon as they’re away from the guys. 

“Well?” Clarke demands, as soon as the door shuts behind them. 

“Well, what?” Raven replies, just to drive her friend crazy. 

“Oh, don’t give me that fake innocent smile! You know what I mean!” Clarke rolls her eyes as she goes into the stall, the bathroom empty except for the two of them. “How are things going with you and Murphy? It was looking pretty comfortable there at the table, so I’m guessing you decided he wasn’t so bad.”

Raven tilts her head, considering. Yeah, ‘comfortable’ was a good word for it. Also, ‘turned-on’, ‘attracted’, and ‘interested’ would work really well, too. Definitely not the awful company she had feared before the night had begun. 

“Mmm-hmm,” she mumbles, checking her hair in the mirror and pulling her lip balm from the pocket of her jeans. 

“You gotta give me more than _ that_, Raven.”

“Fine,” Raven sighs, “you were right. I like him much better than Roan or Wick, and tonight has been really fun.”

“I told you that you were going to have a good time with Murphy,” Clarke teases, washing her hands at the sink. 

“Maybe it’s the spooky time of year, but you’re not the only one who’s had a premonition tonight, Clarke.”

“Yeah? And what was yours?”

Raven grins mysteriously, drying her own hands with some paper towels. “Oh, something just tells me that he’s gonna be a keeper.”

“Wait,” Clarke yelps, pulling her friend’s arm to keep her in the bathroom when Raven reaches for the door. “There’s no way you’re getting out of here until you explain yourself!”

Clarke searches her face as though she can find some answers, and although Raven tries to appear unaffected, Clarke is good at this game. Only a few seconds pass before Clarke makes a triumphant gasp. 

“You kissed him!”

“How the hell do you _ know _ that?” Raven demands incredulously. 

“I know _ you_, that’s how,” retorts Clarke. “And since you just confirmed it, I want all the details! I mean, something really had to happen for you to go from not even wanting to come out with me to kissing the guy that you - and I quote - ‘got stuck with’. I thought you might like Murphy, but I didn’t know you were going to _ like _ him!”

“He’s kind of tough not to like, actually.” Raven turns away from the door and leans against the sink, waving her hands vaguely as she tries to put her thoughts into words. “I don’t know how to explain it. I guess we just clicked.”

Clarke’s grinning like a maniac but before she can jump in with a comment, Raven holds up a finger to forestall her. “He dared me to go into the haunted house.”

“No! You _ hate _ those! You actually went _ in_?”

“I couldn’t let him win,” Raven laughs self-consciously. “And yeah, it was just as awful as I worried it would be, but at the same time I didn’t hate having his arm around me.”

“Smooth,” Clarke nods in approval. “And what about the kiss? Good?”

It’s her best friend, so Raven doesn’t bother to try and hide the infatuated expression that’s undoubtedly on her face. “Clarke, it was so far past good I’m not even sure I can quantify it.”

“Damn,” Clarke says solemnly. 

“Exactly,” Raven replies. 

* * *

Without Raven knowing how it happens, the four of them end up in a part of the park where there’s mostly Halloween attractions. No, that’s not precisely true - she does have an idea how she got there without noticing. Probably how it happens is that she’s caught up watching Murphy from the corner of her eye and isn’t paying attention to what Bellamy is talking about as he steers them all to the entrance of a haunted hayride. Maybe Murphy was preoccupied too, because when he realizes that Bellamy wants them all to go on together, he starts to make an excuse that he’d rather go on another coaster before the night ends. 

When she understands he’s trying to cover for her so she won’t have to admit that she’s too chicken to go in, her throat feels tight and her chest feels warm and there’s no way around it - she’s in deep. She can barely believe what she’s about to do, but yeah, the impulse is legitimate. 

“I think this looks like fun, Murphy. Maybe we should try it.” The lie escapes through her lips with only a slight stammer, and Clarke’s knowing cackle is quickly smothered behind her hand, but Murphy’s confused look turns to sincere concern when she doesn’t make a joke. 

“Seriously? You want to go on this?” He’s genuinely flustered, his reaction only serving to make her all the more sure of her feelings. 

“Why not?,” Raven replies, just a hint of resignation evident in her tone, and Bellamy bounces excitedly towards the turnstile, dragging Clarke with him as he yells. 

“What are we waiting for then? Let’s go get scared!” 

Murphy gestures for her to go ahead of him, and he looks so skeptical she would laugh if not for the fear building in her stomach. She thinks she does an admirable job of hiding it while the four of them walk through the line, but when Clarke and Bellamy load into the hay wagon ahead of them, Murphy steps close and rests a hand against her back, leaning down towards her before she climbs up the short set of steps. 

“You might be conning Bellamy, but you’re not fooling me,” he whispers. “I know you’re afraid.”

His voice at her ear sends shivers through her, and the weight of his hand is solid and reassuring. She could still bow out, and a part of her is considering it, but his pretty blue eyes are curious and warm on hers and she thinks about how he makes her feel and what she wants is clear in her mind, so she hauls herself up the steps and trundles through the hay to a spot not far from Clarke. 

She waits for Murphy to follow and then pulls him down close beside her, a little awkward with her brace but deliberately angling her knees in his direction when she finally settles. His back is against the side of the wagon and his relaxed posture only serves to make her stiff unease all the more obvious. 

Murphy shakes his head at what he probably interprets as her stubbornness, his forehead close to hers. “Couldn’t let Bellamy get the best of you, huh?”

“No, that actually isn’t why I got myself into this damned mess,” Raven mutters, her fingers nervously playing with the straw. 

“What was it then?” Murphy asks curiously. “After that last experience, I was sure I wasn’t going to be able to convince you to do another one tonight, though I was planning on trying anyway.”

Raven stares at him affectionately, thinking back to hours earlier when she first saw him standing at the park entrance. She would never have guessed this was how her night would go. She still hated haunted houses, and that probably wouldn’t ever change, and there was every likelihood that she was going to embarrass herself with how utterly freaked out this hayride was bound to make her. But there was something to be said for doing things that scared you in the company of someone you really liked, and that was an experience she hadn’t known before John Murphy showed up. He'd been right - life wasn't fun without a good scare, and she was going to take her chance and roll the dice just like the song advised.

“I’m only here for the perks,” Raven admits, lifting his arm up and around her shoulders as his eyes shine with amusement, and when she leans in and brushes her lips against his, she can feel the beginning of his grin as he pulls her closer.

**Author's Note:**

> Ugh, they're too cute and I love them! Fun fact - before I had kids, I was in a roller coaster club. I've ridden LOTS of them, including the ones mentioned in this story. Can you guess which amusement park I'm talking about? I've been there many times! To me it's a no-brainer that Raven would be obsessed with roller coasters, and it's a darn shame that our fave Zero-G mechanic will never get the chance to ride one considering her love of spacewalks!


End file.
